Iran Envoy Cites 'Very Useful' Discussions With IAEA

Iranian nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi is an Iranian politician and diplomat who is currently Under Secretary for International and Legal Affairs for Iran's Foreign Ministry.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said he had “very useful” discussions with the head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency.

Araqchi said he had offered proposals that reflected a "new approach" to ease international concerns about Iran’s nuclear program in his meeting in Vienna with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano.

Following the talks, he told reporters, "I am very hopeful that we can come out with a good result."

Iranian and IAEA officials went into separate meetings on October 28 -- set to continue the following day.

The IAEA is seeking access to Iranian facilities, documents, and officials as part of a probe into alleged nuclear weapons research by Iran.

The Iranian government denies any such activity.

Iranian President Hassan Rohani, who took office in August, has promised to engage with the West.

The IAEA's Amano had urged both the UN and Iranian negotiators to make concrete progress on the nuclear issue at this week's talks.

The meetings come ahead of the next round of international negotiations between Iran and six world powers, scheduled for November 7-8 in Geneva.

Based on reporting by AFP, Reuters, and AP